Imagine hosting a marvelous party in your home. Sparkly lights are strung, and colorful bouquets line the tables. Music is playing, candles are flickering, and delicious food is party platter ready.

As you await the arrival of your guests, you realize invitations were never sent. After all that preparation, how likely is it anyone will show up?

In feng shui, the front door is that detail. What happens inside the home matters very much, but without consideration and care of the front door, our intentions are suddenly diminished.

The front door is where we entice auspicious energy into our homes. And to be clear: this is the architecturally-intended front door of a house. Energy goes where the eye does, so it’s worth making the entrance entrancing.

When an entryway is beautiful and benevolent, we invite possibilities and opportunities into our homes. And with that kind of energy flowing through our space, it has a mighty impressive ripple effect in our lives.

Give the front door dedicated attention, and you create a sweet spot for generously auspicious energy to gather on your behalf. Here are a few simple suggestions to get the good vibes flowing your way:

1. Make the space outside the door as appealing as possible.

Replace any burned out lights with brighter wattage. Wipe down the front door and its hardware. Buy a new doormat, or shake out the one you currently use. Strive to keep this space clean and approachable. And if you can do nothing else, sweep. It’s a simple ritual that maintains pleasing space and calls forth marvelous energy.

2. Infuse the front path or porch with color and fragrance.

Pathways are analogous to opportunities finding their way to us. Healthy plants and bright flowers elevate beauty and suggest good health. Maintain both, and it’s a magnetic invitation to whatever you desire in your life.

3. Hang a wind chime outside the front door.

When the wind rustles, the pirouetting rods harness invisible and wildly good energy for you. And as the wind chime sings, it draws attention to the space, inviting more opportunities into your life.

4. Maintain a visible address.

Refresh it, if necessary: a quick polish to the numbers or a few new screws to firmly hold them in place, a fresh coat of paint to update a faded curb address, or a well-posted name in an apartment building will ensure energy knows exactly where to find you.

5. Use the front door daily.

Most of us enter our homes through a secondary door. However, feng shui holds that the really potent, boundless energy available prefers the front door, if invited. Make it a routine to open the door at least once a day. When we do, we intrigue bounty and abundance into our lives.

6. Keep the front door clutter-free.

The wider a door opens, the more open we become to unlimited resources and opportunities. If there is unnecessary clutter afoot, find a home for it. Designate a basket for shoes and sports equipment, place a tray nearby for keys and mail, and install hooks to hang anything else that might otherwise linger on the floor.

When the front door is left neglected, it suggests resources — time, money, and energy — are in short supply. And that feeling deposits undesirable vibes outside our home. An intentionally inviting door, however, tells the story that safety, comfort, and beauty reside just beyond its threshold.

Opportunity passes our front doors every day. If she likes what she sees, she brings her gorgeous energy to the doorstep. Feng shui has long observed that the front door represents our relationship with the world. When it's captivating and positive, that is the kind of energy that shows up and channels throughout the rest of our home.

Let your creative juices loose here. Whether you add thriving plants, mega-watt lights, or something else delightfully irresistible, it all beckons the good life to find its way to your front door!